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ENV510 Landscape Ecology and GIS
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This
page connects the concept of habitat islands with Equilibrium Theory and the
species area equation. You should also look at:
Equilibrium
theory of island biogeography
Origin
of the theory
Debate
on the theory
Since a
remnant patch can be defined as a 'patch of native vegetation around which most
or all of the original vegetation has been removed' (Saunders
et al., 1991), remnant patches are often referred to as habitat islands.
The shape
and size of habitat patches are thought to influence species abundance and distribution.
At the
heart of conservation biology and reserve design over the last 30 years have
been the concepts of the Equilibrium Theory of Island Biogeography (MacArthur
and Wilson, 1967) and the species area equation (Preston,
1960).
If the 'Theory' can be applied to habitat islands created by human disturbance, then it is an important consideration in reserve design and when trying to conserve biodiversity. The 'Theory' has been tested with this in mind, but it has been disputed.
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